the bat, the cat and the penguin
by actualbastila
Summary: Originally posted on AO3. Vignettes based off Batman Returns (yeah, I know), retelling the movie but not novelizing it persay. The inner thoughts of the title characters...and Shreck, occasionally.
1. abomination

Esther had never wanted to believe her son was a monster; an abomination that the citizens of Gotham City would never approve of. But she knew that the night Oswald had killed the cat that it was the last straw.

It had been her idea, not Tucker's, to dump the child in the river, and let him sink to his death. If he didn't sink and drown, he would surely freeze. It didn't matter. In the long run, it would be doing everyone a favor. Most of all, the child – no, the abomination – who would never have much of a life regardless.

They threw the child into the river, and Esther watched as her abomination-child floated away. She shed her tears.

And she never looked back.


	2. penguin

He never sank.

Instead, he drifted. He drifted from the world above into the dark, dank depths of the sewers, until what he could hear outside his cage was a strange, unfamiliar sound. But soothing. It wasn't soothing like the sounds of his mother comforting him, or the sounds of his rattle, but soothing nonetheless. It was the sounds of penguins.

The sounds of penguins would lull him to sleep. And they continued to lull him to sleep, for thirty-three long years of living in the sewers.


	3. lighting

It was supposed to be a happy time of the year, even in Gotham City, which many considered to be hell on earth. And for the moment, it was. There were no criminals in sight; just happy citizens chattering away, until silence filled the area when the Ice Princess revealed herself, smiling brightly in a way that was almost obnoxious.

"May I have your attention, Gotham City?"

More silence.

"It is time for tonight's lighting of the tree!"

The area brightened. The large Christmas tree in the center of the square lit up, as did the faces of almost every civilian in the crowd.

All while he was clicking his flippers, watching with interest.


	4. diversion

"Read all about the latest sighting of the penguin creature!"

Alfred attempted to avoid the paperboy, trying to get back to the manor as quickly as possible, but it didn't seem to work as well as he would have thought.

Penguins didn't live in the sewer. Much less penguin men.

"My dear boy," be began briskly, "sometimes it is a _diversion_ to read such rubbish! Most of the time it is a _waste_ of time."

The boy only continued to sell the papers to the gullible civilians of Gotham City, whereas Alfred merely made his way home.

 _What nonsense._


	5. question

She hated this.

She was a secretary (no, executive assistant!) to Max Shreck – who was arguably one of the most powerful men in the entire city. He was even more powerful than the mayor himself. Whereas the mayor did have some hold over Gotham City, he was really more of a figurehead. It was Shreck who actually had all the power.

They were talking about the new Power Plant for Gotham City. Shreck's pet project. Selina didn't really understand everything, but then again, it wasn't her job to. It was her job to pour Max his coffee and do the paperwork _he_ didn't want to, all whilst keeping her mouth shut during his meetings.

Like this one.

But she didn't.

"I have a suggestion," she blurted. This caused most of the men in the room to stare at her in disbelief. Max looked towards her, goggle-eyed at her impertinence.

"Well…actually, more like a…q-question…" she stammered, her hands shaking as she held the tray of coffee mugs. Max quickly excused her behavior, before his son – Chip – showed up, announcing it was time for them to "bring joy to the masses."

When Selina was alone, she cursed herself for not remembering the rules. For not remembering her place. What was she thinking, opening her mouth during a meeting, trying to offer words on a subject she knew nothing about?

 _Stupid corndog._


	6. santa claus

It wasn't the Mayor who had given so much for Gotham City; it was him. Max Shreck. The owner of the most well-known department store, and someone who had done many other deeds over the years.

The Mayor had said it himself.

He was Gotham City's very own Santa Claus.

He threw presents into the crowd, a smile spread across his face when he saw and heard their joy, before turning to the microphone and realizing he had forgotten his speech.

He knew who was to blame, although her name escaped him at the moment.

It didn't matter. He knew what to say.

"Santa Claus?" Max shook his head. "'fraid not. I'm just a poor schmo who just got lucky. So sue me if I want to give something back!"

The crowd cheered, before he continued.

"I just wish I could hand out more than expensive bobbles," he said, sounding genuine. "I wish I could hand out world peace, and unconditional love, wrapped in a big bow!"

In this distance, no one noticed the clicking of flippers underneath a manhole cover, not far from the crowd. No one noticed the prying eyes, or the whispers.

"Oh, but you _can,"_ the voice rasped. "Oh, but you _will."_


	7. terror

The crowd cheered again, until in the distance Max saw something large, red and shiny. A large present. It was almost as if on cue.

Considering this wasn't planned, it filled him with dread. He would find out who was responsible for this. And if it wasn't to his benefit, that person would pay _dearly._

"Nice idea," the Mayor said from behind him, in a dry tone of voice. Max didn't lift his eyes away from the large, red present, which slowly made it's way into Gotham Square.

"Not mine," he managed to say.

Suddenly, the large present exploded, and the civilians in the square began to scream as chaos began to ensue. Max made a note to ensure that everyone knew this was _not_ his idea. He wouldn't ever be responsible for such terror.


	8. batsignal

Not too far away from the chaos of Gotham City, Bruce Wayne sat quietly in his manor, thinking of many things. It was dark. It was peaceful. He didn't get enough nights like this one.

Maybe the citizens of Gotham wouldn't need Batman tonight after all.

But even he knew it was too much to hope for, as the Batsignal suddenly brightened the room, calling for his attention – _Batman's_ attention – and he knew he would have to leave the quiet behind.

Because criminals never rest.


	9. parade

The Red Triangle Circus would later refer to these events as a parade. The citizens of Gotham City would consider it a horrific tragedy, as people were killed and those alive to remember the events didn't think of it highly. People ran for their lives, attempting to hide in many of the unoccupied buildings. Some succeeded. Some were ran over in the streets. It was fun for him to watch, but that wasn't why he had planned this.

He wanted the man who ran the show.

He wanted Shreck.

But then Batman had to show up and piss on his parade. But in the end, he still managed to get what he wanted.

He got _more_ than what he wanted.


	10. brief

Caught amongst the chaos, Selina ran.

She ran, even though she knew she wasn't dressed for it. She ran, even though people got in her way, almost trampling her. She ran, despite the many obstacles in her path. She wasn't a runner, but tonight she'd have to be.

Until she dropped her glasses.

They fell into the snow, and she ran back to pick them up. She couldn't go home blind (or in her case, half-blind) but this turned out to be a mistake. She felt someone grab her from behind and she let out a scream for help. The man – or clown – who had her was holding a tazer. Sparks began to ignite, and Selina knew if she tried to free herself, she'd end up dead.

In the distance, she saw something dark. It later turned out to be a _someone,_ and Selina was suddenly filled with hope.

"Take one step closer, Mister Manbat," the clown began threateningly, twisting the tazer in his fingers, "and I'll – "

Except "Mister Manbat" didn't need to take a step closer. Using a tool that looked slightly like a pistol, he shot something towards the wall behind the clown. The clown began to chuckle, taunting his opponent about how he missed. Until his opponent did _something,_ knocking the clown unconscious. The clown's body slumped onto the ground, and Selina let out a yelp.

Once she got over her initial shock, she kicked the clown's body, and then looked ahead. Her rescuer was still there. Their eyes met for a few seconds, before he looked away.

"Wow," Selina murmured. _"The_ Batman."

Batman said nothing, surveying the scene quickly. Selina mentally cursed herself again, for what felt like the thousandth time that day. _Stupid corndog; of all the things you could say to him. I mean, he_ rescued _you from a madman for crying out loud. You should at least_ thank _him._

"Or, is it _just '_ Batman?'" And yet she _had_ to continue with her stupidity. Batman began to walk away. Not that she blamed him in the slightest.

"Your choice, of course!" She yelled after him. He still said nothing in response.

That had been… _brief,_ to say the least.

Just like all the men in her life.


	11. return

Commissioner Gordan thanked him again for saving Gotham, and then while he kept mostly silent, shook his head, confirming one of his fears.

The Red Triangle Gang had returned.

Not if he had anything to say about it.

"We'll see," Batman responded, before walking back to the Batmobile. As he walked away, he heard the Mayor mention the disappearance of Max Shreck, before asking where he was. He couldn't help but wonder as well, but given his status in Gotham, Shreck was likely perfectly safe.


	12. fallen

Max Shreck had fallen.

He knew that much, he just didn't understand where he was. Or why. But wherever he was stank. Horribly. He looked around him. There were people. People in costumes. They reminded him of the people who had attacked Gotham Square that night. At that realization, Max recoiled in horror, trying to avoid their gaze. He noticed the penguins, swimming in the water before him. Then, he turned and set his eyes on what was likely the scariest thing about the place.

There was a man. A man of short stature, with balding hair. When the man turned, Max noticed his face. It was horribly disfigured beyond belief. Then, he noticed his hands. They weren't hands. In fact, they very closely resembled flippers.

"Hi," the short man finally said, before pulling out a large parasol from a large barrel full of them. Max blinked.

He had fallen alright. In fact, it was likely he had fallen and hurt his head. Badly.


	13. monsters

It was true. It was _all_ true. There really _was_ a penguin man of the sewers. Either that, or the events of the entire night had been a bad dream, and he would wake up, back in his nice warm bed, ready to meet Wayne the next morning.

But no, that wasn't the case. He pinched himself, but he was still in the sewers, and the deformed man was still looking towards him expectedly, talking with a certain smugness Max hadn't expected.

"Odd as it may seem, Max... you and I have something in common," the penguin man said, while twisting the umbrella in his hands. Max was flabbergasted by the suggestion. What could they _possibly_ have in common?

"We're _both_ perceived as monsters," the Penguin continued. "But, somehow, you're a well-respected monster, and I am - to date - _not!"_

Max found himself scowling, and began to regain some of the confidence he had lost when he first set eyes on the Penguin.

"Frankly, I feel that's a bum rap," Max said. "I'm a _businessman_. Tough? Yes. Shrewd? Okay. But that does _not_ make me a monster- "

Max didn't get the chance to continue as the Penguin undid the string on his umbrella, revealing a large, swirly black and white pattern. The Penguin twisted it, making it spiral.

"Don't _embarrass_ yourself, Max," the Penguin hissed. "I know _all_ about you. What _you_ hide, _I_ discover. What _you_ put in your toilet, _I_ place on my mantle. Get the picture?"

The Penguin knew more than Max had given him credit for. He knew about the toxic waste. He knew about the shredded documents. He even knew about Fred. Despite his circumstances, Max knew he was resourceful. But why did he go through all this trouble?

What did he _want?_


	14. ascend

"I've been lingering down here too long," the Penguin declared, before moving back the barrel of umbrellas and grabbing a plain, black one. "It's high time for me to _ascend_. To _re-emerge_... with your help, Max. With your know-how and your savvy. I wasn't _born_ in the sewer, you know."

There was a change in tone after he said those words. He sounded anguished, all trace of smugness gone. He pointed towards a hole in the ceiling with his umbrella.

"I come from _up there,"_ the Penguin continued, spitting the words. "Like _you,_ Max. And - like you - I want some _respect!_ A recognition of my basic humanity! But most of all... I want to find out who I _really_ am. By finding my parents. Learning my _human name_. Simple stuff that the good people of Gotham take for _granted!"_

Max narrowed his eyes in the Penguin's direction.

"And _why_ exactly am I going to help you?" He demanded.

This was the wrong response. The Penguin chuckled darkly, and sat down across from Max, ready to put proof of his despicable actions right in front of his eyes, that he had been collecting from under Max's very nose.

He would ascend, and Max was going to help him, whether he liked it or not.


	15. pink

"Honey, I'm home!"

Selina returned home, turning on the light. All different shades of pink assaulted her eyes, and she looked around the apartment.

"Oh, wait…I forgot…I'm not married."

When she first came to Gotham, she had deliberately decorated her apartment in a way that seemed happy and soothing. To remind herself to be happy. And for awhile, it seemed to be working. But these days, the color scheme in her apartment, along with the stuffed animals, the pictures of herself when young and happy and even just home in _general_ served to be more of an annoyance than a comfort.

After feeding the cat, Selina drifted towards the answering machine. The first message on there was from her mother, practically begging her to come back home for Christmas, rather than stay and "languish in Gotham City as some lowly secretary."

No, not secretary. Executive Assistant. And the holidays would be much better spent alone than with her family, even if it _was_ in Gotham City.

Then, there was another call. From her boyfriend. Well, ex-boyfriend now. _Some appendage._ She flipped through the calls that had been made. The party _never_ stopped on Selina Kyle's answering machine, especially not now that it was the holidays.

There was only one call worth paying attention to. That was the one she had made to herself shortly before she left Shreck's office, reminding herself she would have to walk all the way back to the office to buff up for the Bruce Wayne meeting Shreck had the next day.

 _Stupid corndog._

As she retrieved her coat and shoes so she could walk back in the snowy coldness of Gotham City, Selina looked around her apartment once again.

The pink walls brought her _no_ comfort.


	16. curiosity

Curiosity had gotten the better of her before. It usually did, even when she was younger. It was her father who had told her that curiosity killed the cat, but she later reasoned that she was no cat, despite her love for them.

Her curiosity had gotten her into trouble before, however. She ought to have learned her lesson by now. But she hadn't. Otherwise why would she be here, searching through Max Shreck's protected files which were clearly out of bounds for her to touch?

He found out.

She had never expected him to show up now, at this time of the night. Clearly he thought the same. So she explained the situation to him, and even admitted to opening the protected files.

 _Stupid corndog._ Why couldn't she ever learn to keep her mouth shut? But Max simply smiled, and called her actions "industrious." That, in turn, must mean he thought _she_ was industrious too. Maybe he could see her worth after all.

But eventually, Selina found his smile chilling rather than welcoming. He wasn't _actually_ proud of her. His thoughts were much more sinister than that.

"Tell me, what did curiosity do to the cat?"

Selina took a careful step back.

"I'm…no cat," she managed to say. She tried to sound confident, all too aware she was failing in her attempt. She knew that Max could see right through her. "I'm just an assistant…a secretary."

Max smirked.

"And a very good one."

"Too good?"

Selina tried to convince him it was their secret. His plans for the power plant were despicable. His plans for all of Gotham were despicable. But there was nothing Selina could do about it either way, and she would be a fool to oppose him. Against one of Gotham's most powerful men, she was just a secretary.

She was _nothing._

But for some reason, he didn't believe her.

"This power plant is my _legacy,_ Miss Kyle," Max insisted. "It's what I leave behind for Chip. _Nothing_ must prevent that."

Selina narrowed her eyes.

"Okay, go ahead," she actually sounded brave then. "Intimidate me. Bully me if it makes you feel big. I mean, it's not like you can just _kill_ me!"

Max merely shook his head.

"Actually, it's a _lot_ like that."

For a brief second, Selina thought he was serious. She was standing in front of a window, he could easily push her out of it if he wanted. But he merely laughed, and so did she, lightning the grim mood that surrounded them.

Until, when she was caught off guard, he _did_ push her.

Curiosity had gotten the better of her again.


	17. broken doll

She fell. It felt as if she had always been falling, but this was different. She screamed, but she knew no one would save her. Not any passersby, not Batman and _certainly_ not the police, who were completely and utterly useless.

She would fall to her death, and she would be buried underneath the trash like a broken doll in Shreck's department store. In fact, if she didn't know any better she'd assume she was already dead. While she only had a vague idea of what had happened, she was cold and unmoving.

A sharp, stabbing seared through her fingers. She heard the distant – but comforting – meowing of cats. Her eyelids slowly began to flutter open, and she looked around her.

She was still alive. Not a broken doll after all. She saw the cats that surrounded her body. Maybe she was a cat after all. No, not a cat. But catlike, maybe. And if that was true, just how many lives did she have left? Max Shreck had already killed her. She had eight. Eight lives. She had better not waste them.

It was time for her to make haste.


	18. scream

Somehow, she had managed to make her way back to her apartment, even with her hurting leg and blurred vision and goodness only knew what else. She decided it was best to continue as usual.

 _Feed the cat. Make the bed. Listen to the answering machine._

Except when she finally made it to the last item on her mental checklist, she lost it. There were several unanswered messages from her mother by this point, demanding that she call her back. Selina decided, yet again, that she was going to ignore them. But she'd listen, while she drank from the carton of milk she kept in the fridge. Then, there was another message. From Gotham Lady Perfume.

 _"Hello, Selina Kyle. We're just calling to make sure you've tried Gotham Lady Perfume. One whiff of this at the office and your boss will be asking you to stay after work: for a candlelight staff meeting for two…"_

She held it in for as long as she could, trying to stop it before it happened. Maybe they wouldn't say it. But it was too much to hope for.

 _"…Gotham Lady Perfume, exclusively at Shreck's department store…"_

Shreck was everywhere. He had a say in _everything_ that happened in this city, and there was nothing that could be done about it. No one who had any semblance of power other than him was doing anything about it. Maybe they were scared. Maybe Shreck was paying them. It didn't matter. But if they couldn't do anything to stop him, _she_ certainly couldn't do anything to stop him.

He thought she was dead. Dead and no longer a worry, given was she knew.

At that, Selina let out a scream. It was a wonder no one had come to find her and stop her. She smashed the answering machine, until the phone was severed from the rest of it, and it lay strewn across the floor.

She knew she should have stopped there. But she didn't.


	19. cat

She continued instead.

She tore her apartment to shreds; she grabbed a bunch of her stuffed animals and stuffed them down the garbage disposal, smashed flowery ornaments and old photographs, threw several items across the room to get damaged.

She no longer cared if any of these items were items she had treasured for years. It satisfied her newborn appetite for destruction, and that was enough.

Selina strode off to her room, spray painting her pink walls black instead, before turning towards her closet and roughly opening the door, frantically looking for anything that was pink or white, or flowery and delicate. Eventually, she settled on the black, leather suit she used to have when she had once painted her mother's old living room, years ago. Thank God she hadn't thrown it out.

Not before trashing her old – and once much treasured – dollhouse, Selina looked underneath her old desk for her old sewing kit, and began to tear apart the black suit. The leather was smooth to the touch; flexible. It would suit her purpose well.

After what felt like hours, she put the suit on. It was a tight fit. She would have to break it in, eventually. She stretched, and then turned to notice Miss Kitty was behind her, watching her curiously as she looked in the mirror and surveyed her own reflection.

She wasn't Selina Kyle anymore. She wasn't that timid, stuttering secretary who didn't matter. She was someone people would learn to fear. Someone Max Shreck would have to fear. And that thought sparked something inside her.

For the first time in years, she felt _alive._

She was a cat. A catwoman. No, she _was_ Catwoman. That's who she was.

And she _loved_ it.

"I don't know about you, Miss Kitty," Catwoman flashed Miss Kitty a smirk, "but I feel... _so much yummier."_


	20. thanks

The Mayor promised the chaos and destruction that had occurred the previous night wouldn't happen again. Of course, the citizens of Gotham already knew this to be nothing but false. False promises from a false mayor, who was much too idealistic to be running a city such as this one.

However, no one was expecting the clown to suddenly appear out of nowhere and snatch the Mayor's baby out of his wife's arms, and push him away from the microphone, with a small speech of his own.

"I'm not really one for speeches, so I'll just say… _thanks,"_ was all the clown said, before skillfully and almost effortlessly doing a series of twirls and backflips back into the sewer.

With the Mayor's baby.


	21. rise

They were not without hope.

It was the Penguin Man of the Sewers who had rescued the baby from an uncertain fate. The citizens of Gotham City – like the gullible fools they were – didn't see right through this façade at all. They didn't see him as a monster, either. Not anymore.

They saw him as a noble soul, someone who wanted to do good. They saw his alliance with Max Shreck as visionary, and in the end, they would triumph, making Gotham City better than it had been in decades.

He could feel his cold heart heatedly beat against his chest at the very thought. They _accepted_ him, despite his monstrous appearance.

He tried not to show it, but the very thought filled him with joy.

He may not be able to fly. Penguins didn't fly. But maybe he would rise instead.


	22. surprise

At first, Bruce Wayne genuinely wanted this…Penguin…to find his parents.

At first glance, the story was very heartwarming. A deformed baby dumped in the sewers, rejected by his parents and society, only to rise from the darkness and to be greeted with open arms after rescuing the Mayor's baby. And he only wanted one thing in return.

To find his parents.

Bruce raised his eyebrows as the story went on, and then proceeded to scowl slightly. There had to be more to the story. There was always more to any story. But that was what started it. He couldn't help but want to dig further on any story like this.

Especially considering who the Penguin was with. Max Shreck. The most corrupt businessman in Gotham City.

Maybe they had made an…arrangement. Maybe the Penguin's sudden appearance amongst Gotham society wasn't such a surprise as everyone thought.


	23. firstborn

His request had been granted, and he was allowed to peruse the Hall of Records in complete privacy, away from the prying eyes of Gotham's citizens. Not that they didn't try. But Max had persuaded them to back off.

So he flipped through the records, taking note on all of Gotham's firstborn sons, before he found his own name. He knew it was him. He had narrowed down all the possibilities.

He had a _name._ He was going to reclaim it and make it _his_ again.

But his parents…any hopes of reconciling with them…finding some _answers._ That was gone. The chance to demand why they had thrown him – their _firstborn son –_ away like common waste. All gone. They had been buried in the Gotham Cemetery, side by side, not too long ago.

And it had been _his_ doing, too. He just didn't know it at the time.

It was high time he paid his respects.


	24. cold

And so it was off to the Batcave, to investigate this case further. Bruce pulled up files on the computer in front of him, and was almost indifferent to the soup Alfred had laid in front of him, until he tasted the soup. It wasn't what he expected.

"It's cold!"

"It's vichyssoise," was Alfred's response.

Bruce raised an eyebrow.

"It's _supposed_ to be cold," Alfred informed him, before proceeding to sit down not too far away from him. Bruce ate, but slowly, much more interested in finding out as much about this… _Penguin_ person as possible. There was nothing. Just information about the Red Triangle Gang and it's members. The name "Aquatic Bird-Boy" came to mind. And along with it, information regarding children who had gone missing in Gotham _years_ ago.

They were never found.

"I suppose you feel better now, sir," Alfred said dryly, as Bruce finished relaying this information.

A cold, almost icy chill ran down his spine. It was much colder than the vichyssoise, that was for certain.

"No…actually I feel worse," Bruce replied.

Everything after that felt cold. Cold and foreboding.


	25. something else

The streets of Gotham were suspiciously quiet that night. Normally they were bumbling with activity, most of it harmful. No one seemed to notice the Batmobile patrol the streets, or park outside the Hall of Records. Least of all the Penguin himself, who Batman could see through the windows, flipping through birth certificates and other records.

Something about this entire situation wasn't right. Not at all. And the more he thought about it, the more wrong it seemed.

 _"Why are you still out there?"_ Came Alfred's voice over the communicator. _"Are you_ still _concerned about that strange, heroic Penguin person?"_

Without turning to look at the screen, Batman nodded.

"I think he knows who his parents are," Batman replied. He turned his attention back to the Hall of Records, and the glimpse he had of the Penguin. The Penguin's expression was hard to see from his angle, but if he wasn't mistaken, he saw not surprise or awe on his face. Instead, there was _malice._

"There's something _else."_


	26. name

That very same night, Penguin made his way to Gotham Cemetery, sticking to the shadows rather than make himself seen. Gotham's citizens would never hear the end of it if he was seen. The graveyard was unoccupied, and there were still a few white flowers growing nearby, despite the cold. Penguin picked a few, and laid them down in front of the graves of his late parents.

After knowing who they were, he couldn't help but feel sorry. But there was nothing more that could be done, except to say… _rest in peace._

After several moments, he turned his eyes away from the graves and towards the gates. The press had found him after all, shouting for the Penguin and demanding his feelings on the matter. Rather than be infuriated for having been disturbed during a private moment, he made his way forward.

He was a penguin no longer.

"A penguin is a bird that cannot fly!" He shouted over the chatter.

After that, the crowd was silent.

"I am a _man,"_ he continued. "I have a _name…Oswald Cobblepot."_


	27. roar

She couldn't help but find men pathetic. Especially men like the one standing before her, ready to attack a poor and helpless woman with no way of defending herself.

Like the woman she used to be.

Just before the thug could do anything to woman he had dragged into one of the many, _many_ dark alleyways in Gotham, she gracefully slunk from the darkness and stood before him, a smirk quickly appearing on her face.

"I just _love_ a big strong man who's not afraid to show it with someone half his size," she purred. The thug looked towards her with a cross between awe and fright. This only made her smirk widen. Her costume was _working._ "Be gentle…it's my first time."

The thug made his first moves towards her, and that was when she chose to spring, attacking him and making him her prey instead. When he was completely helpless, she scratched his face in a way almost reminiscent of tic-tac-toe. He slumped to the floor, not dead but his face permanently damaged. It was also likely he would wake with a black eye and perhaps some broken bones. Not bad for a test-run.

"Thanks," the woman mumbled. "I thought I – "

She stopped speaking when Catwoman grabbed her head and turned it to face her.

"You make this _so_ easy, don't you?" Catwoman sneered. "Always waiting for some… _Batman_ to save you. I am _Catwoman._ Hear me _roar."_

Catwoman let go of her, before slinking back into the darkness.


	28. mudslinging

The meeting had been delayed, something Bruce could help but be grateful for. But today, there was no putting it off anymore. It was time to see Max Shreck about the proposed power plant. It ought to be interesting, to say the least.

Max greeted him, formally yet icily, as Bruce had become accustomed to when dealing with him. He always suspected Max disliked him. Maybe it was because of a grudge? He wasn't entirely sure. But something about the way they interacted seemed off. Then, Max proceeded to offer him coffee, but his assistant was on vacation. At the time, Bruce didn't think much of it, shrugging it off.

After all, he wasn't here for coffee.

He was here because he wanted to know what Max's angle was. Gotham already had a power surplus. Why did they need _another_ power plant? As soon as he brought it up to the man in front of him, however, he was met with disdain for so much as asking.

"Power surplus?" Max began incredulously. "Bruce, shame on you. No such thing. One can _never_ have too much power. If my life has a meaning, _that's_ the meaning."

Bruce begged to differ, something he was quick to explain. He had already spoken to the Mayor. They saw eye to eye on the subject. Max offered him a nasty smile.

"Mayors come and go," Max quickly bit out. "Blue bloods tire easy."

If that wasn't a jab, Bruce didn't know what was.

"You think you can go fifteen rounds with Muhammed Shreck?" Max demanded, eyeing Bruce, with an expression of certain iciness. He was trying to intimidate him, but Bruce wasn't having it. He had faced much, _much_ worse than Max Shreck. He tried not to smile as he spoke again. He wouldn't want to appear smug.

"Well, I guess we're gonna find out," Bruce responded. "'Course, I don't have a crime boss like _Cobblepot_ in my corner, so it might –"

"Crime boss?" Max's lips curled into a sneer. Now Bruce knew he had really pissed him off. "Shows what _you_ know, Mr. To-The-Manor-Born-With-A-Silver-Spoon! Oswald is Gotham's new golden boy. If his parents hadn't eighty-sixed him, you two might've been bunkies at prep school!"

 _"Oswald_ controls the Red Triangle gang. I can't prove it yet, but we both know that –"

"Wayne, I will not stand for mudslinging in this office!"  
In the mind of Max Shreck, it was mudslinging. And he wouldn't stand for mudslinging in his office, despite the fact that he likely did the same thing in this office during his workdays. But in Bruce's mind, it was exposing the truth.

But it also only confirmed what Bruce already knew.

Oswald Cobblepot was a crime boss, in league with the Red Triangle Gang. No, that would be too simple. He controlled them.

Mudslinging or not, it was the truth.


	29. alive

She was _alive._

Alive, and prettier than ever. Gone were the large, oval shaped glasses which had shattered the night she had died. Her hair, while it was once always tied back in a messy bun, was pretty and curly. Her head still hurt from the previous night, as was her hand. But she still sauntered into Max Shreck's office, thoroughly pleased with his shocked expression. Before that, he had been yelling at Bruce Wayne, threatening him and demanding he leave the office. If his secretary were not on "vacation" he would have asked her to show him out.

Well, Bruce Wayne had made an enemy of Max Shreck…she decided she liked him already.

"Anywhere he wants," was her greeting. Max ended up staring at her in disbelief for several moments, muttering her name over and over.

"That's my name, Maximillian, don't wear it out," she replied. "Or I'll make you buy me a new one."

She turned to Bruce Wayne, and that prompted Max to introduce the two. Bruce wasn't what she expected at all. From what little she knew about him before, she knew he was a rich fellow who also had some hold of Gotham's affairs. She thought he would be more like Shreck. But he wasn't. He was nice, kind and considerate. Of course, she had only know him for a few moments so far.

Bruce's eyes flittered to the injuries on her arms and head, and he inquired as to what had happened. Selina was about to respond, but Max beat her to it.

"You were injured on that…ski slope, weren't you, Selina? Is that why you cut short your vacation time? Came back?"

Selina turned to Max and resisted the urge to throw him a glare.

"It's a…blur…" she replied. "I mean, I remember when…"

It was all insignificant memories. Memories from her childhood. But she had managed to convince Max and Bruce that she remembered nothing, before showing Bruce Wayne out of the office, all too satisfied with Max's reaction.

She was _alive._ She had come back from the dead, and soon enough she would haunt him.


	30. familiar

Maybe it was ridiculous, but he couldn't help but find something about her familiar as they left Max's office. He had no idea what it was. But then again, Selina was unlike any person he had met previously. Her confidence stood out, shining like a light in this dark, dark city.

She didn't seem like the kind of person to take orders from Max Shreck.

But apparently that was a long story. At least, that's what she said.

"Well, maybe I can free up some time," Bruce responded after Selina spoke.

She flashed him a smile.

"I'm listed," she informed him.

"I'm tempted."

"I'm working," she then walked away from the elevator. Bruce was about to say something else, but the doors shut before he could, and he let out a sigh.

"I'm leaving."

He couldn't help but be interested in this woman. There was a certain sense of familiarity. It was like they had met before.

And then he realized that he had. But Selina hadn't met him. She'd met Batman. She didn't know who he was outside of that.

Maybe he'd be able to fix that.


	31. candidate

At the time, Oswald never once imagined Max would ever try to use him. It was he who was using Max instead. But as he was making his plans, in the quietness of his attic room, he never expected Max to come to call with a surprise.

Oswald didn't like surprises. Surprises could either be completely wonderful or more dreadful than he was. Usually it was the latter. At least in Oswald's experience.

But that _bastard_ had to hold out the fish, and lead him downstairs. Max held his hat in front of Oswald's eyes, making sure he didn't peek until just the right moment. When Oswald did, he was horrified.

There was lights. Color. Loud noises. But what horrified and confused him even more was Max's plans.

They wanted to make him a candidate for election. They wanted to make him Mayor of Gotham City.


	32. burn

Somehow, Max managed to convince him.

True, he would be in the public eye even more than he already was. But he would be able to reclaim his birthright. The one Tucker and Esther Cobblepot had so carelessly discarded. He would have money. Power. Protection. Women. But more importantly, he would have adoration, and respect. That was all he wanted.

That was all he _ever_ wanted.

It was time to get this show on the road.

Before he went back upstairs, he stood in full view of everyone, and shouted three words that everyone in the room would remember.

 _"Burn, baby, burn!"_


	33. trashed

She had one ultimate goal, but to get started, she needed to send a message. She made her way back to Shreck's department store, prepared to destroy it. No one would notice her slip inside. Most were concerned with the chaos outside. She heard the screaming, but she merely tuned it out.

After all, if she knew something, it was that Batman would return to Gotham and rescue them.

The only people who caught her were two pathetic security guards, and they were easy enough to deal with. Soon enough, she succeeded with her task.

She had trashed Shreck's department store, costing him thousands in damage, if she was correct. Or was it millions? Or billions? She didn't care. She caused him damage.

And that was enough.


	34. change

Another carnival of chaos happened that night, courtesy of the Red Triangle Gang, who were mostly easy to deal with. Except for that Poodle Lady, dressed in mostly pink, who mysteriously managed to escape unharmed.

But somewhere along the way, he ran into Oswald Cobblepot himself. Gotham's new "golden boy." Who even knew what he was planning now.

"Admiring your handiwork?" Batman asked him. This caused Oswald to turn and looked towards him with a nasty grin.

"Touring the riot scene," Oswald replied. "Gravely assessing the… _devastation_. Upstanding _mayor_ stuff."

At that response, Batman took a careful step forward.

"You're not the Mayor."

"Things _change_ ," Oswald said slowly.

"What do you _want?"_

"Ah! The direct approach! I admire that in a man with a mask," Oswald chuckled, as if laughing at some private joke, before turning serious. "You don't really think you'll _win,_ do you?"

This caused Batman to smirk.

"Things _change,"_ he replied. Cobblepot looked as if he was about to say more, but he closed his mouth when they both noticed what lay ahead.


	35. meow

Not too far away, Catwoman was doing a series of flips and twirls away from Shreck's store. She was fast. Almost like lightning. She couldn't help but be amused by the scene in front of her. There was a cat, a bat and a penguin all in the same area. And she had shocked the bat and the penguin into silence. They said nothing to her.

She smirked.

"Meow."

They were lucky not to be caught in the explosion that followed.

Then, Catwoman vanished.

Oswald and Batman exchanged looks. The new Mayor wore a particularly nasty smile as he pulled out his umbrella. To the bat's surprise, he began to fly.

"I saw her first!" Oswald shouted before he was in mid-air. "Gotta fly!"

And then, he too vanished. The fabric of his umbrella fell onto the snowy ground.


	36. dance

It was an elegant dance, was what she was doing. Every time he tried to strike, she only moved back. It was a series of leaps, twirls, and cracks of her whip. There was one time that she honestly thought that the dance had come to an end, when she had established herself as the winner. It wasn't before the bat had hit her, and she recoiled in horror.

"How could you? I'm a _woman,"_ she whimpered. This caused him to realize what he had done, and he apologized, ready to come to her aid. That was when she took her chance. She couldn't help it. He _was_ an idiot.

"As I was saying, I'm a _woman,"_ she couldn't help but smirk as she said those words. "And I can't be taken for granted. Life's a bitch, now so am I."

Admittedly, this wasn't the smartest thing for her to do. The bat had pushed her, and then rescued her again. And just as she was about to take advantage of the situation…he realized what she was up to and pushed her.

He killed her. She had died. Again.

He would pay for this.

The dance ended when she was saved by kitty litter.


	37. plan

He wanted to be the mayor. He had already gained a great deal of respect for running, imagine the respect he would gain when he eventually took office? The thoughts drifted when he found the catwoman lying across his bed, smirking at him.

Just the pussy he'd been looking for.

She only wanted one thing, and that was to take down the bat. Of course, he wanted that too, but he had bigger fish to fry. Like the election.

But for some reason, he liked the sound of her ideas, which included framing Batman by having him kidnap the Ice Princess. But more importantly, he liked _her._ She seemed indifferent to him now, but he knew she'd come around. Eventually.

But for now, he's go with her ideas. And he'd form a plan. And a plan _was_ forming.


	38. dark side

When he saw her again, it was on the streets of Gotham City, near one of the stores, staring off into space. He hadn't forgotten about her, but he wasn't entirely sure when he'd get to see her again. Considering now he had the chance to see her, maybe get to know her…he would be stupid not to take that chance.

While he knew it from the start, talking with her made him realize that Selina was _nothing_ like Vicki. Something about her reminded him of himself in a way.

"You have…kind of a dark side, don't you?"

 _Like me…like him…_

Selina flashed him a smile.

"No darker that yours, Bruce."

Something about that smile threw him off. It was…familiar. Bruce couldn't help but feel as if he had seen a smile like that before.

Naturally, this only made her more interesting.


	39. scars

They met at Wayne Manor at some point during the week, arranging a date for five o'clock. Supposedly, it was to watch the lighting of the Christmas tree, or at least a second attempt of it. But their… _date_ (if you can even call it a date)…mostly consisted of talking.

They both had a dark side. Bruce talked about his, and about Vicki, his past girlfriend. She had found out about his dark side, and couldn't accept it. Apparently she had had trouble dealing with Bruce's duality. She knew he was scared that _she_ wouldn't accept him for it, either, in between his ramblings about her maybe thinking of him as the Norman Bates or Ted Bundy type.

But Selina knew she wouldn't care. It was like she had told him, sickos didn't scare her. At least they were committed.

Then, she kissed _him,_ surprising even herself. She supposed that throughout all this, she was a huge hypocrite. She was afraid too. Afraid of what Bruce might say if he found out she went out at night dressed as a cat. Afraid that, once he felt the battle scars he would ask questions and –

Selina recoiled. She felt Bruce do the same, and they both issued out (almost) identical apologies and excuses.

Then, before they could say more, they turned their attention to the television. The Ice Princess had been kidnapped.

She needed to leave. Now.


	40. framed

He had been framed. It was very clever, he had to admit, but that didn't mean he had to like it. Because he didn't. Not one bit.

He knew both the Penguin and Catwoman had planned this together, otherwise why else would they both be here? But as soon as the Ice Princess died, he _knew_ this wasn't exactly what Catwoman had planned. It showed on her face as the bats swarmed, and then the princess was pushed to her death. But the Penguin? He _was_ a sadistic little bastard and it showed. That meant he wasn't fit to be the mayor in his city, and never would be.

As the citizens of Gotham all began to blame him for the death of the princess, he pulled out his glider and got ready to fly away into the darkness.

This would all blow over soon enough. _Hopefully._


	41. deadly

He landed.

She was there, straddling his hips, flashing a smirk that made him wonder as to whether or not he wanted to stay or to leave. But he wasn't about to push her off, telling himself he didn't want to hurt her, even though he knew _full well_ what the real reason was.

"You're catnip to a girl like me," she purred. "Handsome, dazed and to _die for."_

Above them, despite the darkness of the alley, he could see mistletoe hanging nearby. He almost laughed. This was bitter. Incredibly bitter.

"Mistletoe can be deadly if you eat it," he muttered, not intending to be heard. But he was anyway.

"But a _kiss_ can be even deadlier if you mean it," was the cat's response, before leaning in and giving him a kiss. Or, what passed as her sick twist of a kiss anyway.

Deadlier indeed.


	42. umbrella

Catwoman was furious.

"You said you were going to _scare_ the Ice Princess," she muttered. Cobblepot snorted.

"She looked pretty scared to me!" He cackled after he said those words. Catwoman turned away. She knew this man was disgusting, but she didn't know he was _this_ disgusting. And this was the man Gotham City currently wanted for mayor. While his looks had nothing to do with it, how could they not see that this man was _obviously_ a monster?

He poured her a glass of champagne, and she sipped from it slowly, not seeing any reason to celebrate like he did. She stopped listening to him, until he started talking about their "fiendish union."

What? When did he get _this_ idea?

"Oh, _please,"_ Catwoman didn't even attempt to hide her disgust. "I wouldn't touch you to _scratch_ you."

Oswald Cobblepot was not impressed.

"You lousy minx! I'll have you spayed!" Cobblepot hissed these words, spitting his contempt. "You sent out all the signals!"

He pulled out his umbrella, and before she could do anything to stop it, this horrible little man had hooked her onto it. She struggled, but it was as if the umbrella had strong hands of it's own. The umbrella began to float into the air above. She let out a stream of swear words, most went seemingly unheard.

"Goodbye my unintended," Cobblepot waved, angering her even more. "Go to heaven."

A few minutes later, she crashed into a greenhouse, sending glass shards flying everywhere. She had died again, this time by _Cobblepot's_ hands. Was _no_ man in this city worth trusting?

She screamed.


	43. school

The Batmobile had been sabotaged.

He should have seen this coming, but for some reason, he had never imagined such a scenario. Now, he was struggling for control all whilst Cobblepot's dishonest face was on the screen.

"Welcome to the Oswald Cobblepot School of Driving," the man had begun nastily, "Gentlemen, start your screaming!"

All while he struggled to retake control, he recorded every word this man had said. Everything that indicated that he was _not_ who he claimed to be. He was a dishonest, lying character who would do anything to gain power. But even then, he sounded like he was _also_ being played for a fool by Max Shreck.

Soon enough, class time was over. The School of Driving had been shut down, and he somehow managed to escape.

But not without causing a great deal of havoc. Not without feeling guilty for the events that had transpired.


	44. security

As Cobblepot began his speech, Bruce stood beside Alfred and watched in disbelief and disgust. Alfred was certainly right about Cobblepot being the primary concern.

"But there's also security to consider," Alfred continued. "I mean, it's not like we can take it into any old body shop."

Bruce stopped listening at "security."

"Security?" He repeated, while placing his hand into the fish tank. The water was cold, but by now he was used to it. "Who let Vicki Vale into the Batcave? I'm sitting there working, and then I turn around, there she is. _'_ Oh, hi Vick. Come on in!'"

Alfred said nothing in response as the sarcophagus in front of them opened. Bruce turned to Alfred.

"You ready?"

Alfred looked at Bruce as if he was insane.

"I think I'll take the stairs," was the butler's dry response. Bruce shrugged, but continued onwards. He had work to do.


	45. exposure

As the soon-to-be mayor of Gotham City continued with his rousing speech, and the cheers sounded from the crowd of civilians, Bruce and Alfred started up the machinery that would enable the exposure of Oswald Cobblepot's _true_ nature.

It was lucky he had thought to record every word Cobblepot had said.

It took a few minutes, given that at first, the signal was jammed. But eventually, Bruce managed to get through. The television was blaring in one corner of the room, and as soon as he heard Cobblepot's voice boom loudly, and the shocked expression on his face, he knew he had succeeded.

 _"Just relax. I'll take care of the squealing, wretched, pinhead puppets of Gotham!"_

 _"You gotta admit…I played this stinkin' city like a harp from hell!"_

The results were wild and almost amusing. The civilians of Gotham began to throw all kinds of rotten food in Cobblepot's direction, and Cobblepot ran offscreen before the camera was suddenly cut. Only a matter of time before Max Shreck was exposed too. Hopefully.

Now there was the matter of that costume ball tonight. He wouldn't have went…were it not for the fact that Selina _might_ be there.

For good measure, before going back upstairs, Bruce scratched the CD.


	46. animal

Somehow, he _knew_ his rejection was inevitable. The election, and all the promises he made were all false. The people of Gotham City were idiots, but they were not _that_ stupid. They would have figured it out eventually. That he really _hated_ them all.

He returned to the sewers, taking in the familiar surroundings. The penguins rushed to greet him, and he affectionately ran a flipper over one of their heads.

"My babies," he greeted. "Did you miss me?"

"Great speech, Oswald!"

He looked up. The Red Triangle Gang was here as well. The rage that had been boiling beneath the surface all day rose to surface unexpectedly. He punched the clown that had uttered those words, and then continued.

"MY NAME IS NOT OSWALD!" His voice echoed all around the lair. "IT'S _PENGUIN!_ I AM NOT A HUMAN BEING! I AM AN ANIMAL! _COLD-BLOODED!"_

He was going to make that known to all. To those who had rejected him, when all he wanted was acceptance. He was going to make it known to all that Oswald Cobblepot was dead and buried. And let them know the animal was to be _feared._


	47. revenge

Good parents did not leave their children behind while they went out partying, he would find. Good parents would stay.

Gotham City didn't have many good parents.

He had a plan. While many of the citizens of Gotham were out at Maxie's fancy ball, he would snatch the first-born sons of Gotham and let them drown in the dark waters of the sewers, just as he had been left to drown.

Many would say, after learning of all this, that he had no shred of humanity in him. But he didn't. He was animalistic to his very core. He would get his revenge, not matter what it took.


	48. light

Max had half-expected Bruce Wayne not to show up. But here he was, in his perfectly boring suit. What, did he miss the part that this was a _costume_ ball? There had to be some reason why he was here, and it was not for the party itself.

"Ingenious costume," Max began, in a perfectly bitter tone. "Let me guess…trust-fund-goody-goody?"

Bruce's expression didn't change as he bit out a retort.

"Feeling good, huh? Yeah, well, you almost made a _monster_ of the Mayor of Gotham City."

Max narrowed his eyes.

" _I_ am the light in this city," he declared. "And _I_ am its mean, twisted soul. Does it matter whose mayor?"

Bruce still seemed mostly unfazed.

"It does to me."

Max scoffed his disdain.

" _Yawn,"_ then, he turned and left Bruce behind, fully intending to enjoy himself. How dare he? People like Bruce Wayne had grown up with everything handed to them through trust-funds and inheritance, not knowing or fully appreciating how people like Max had to struggle to become who they were. He would _not_ be judged.


	49. face to face

It took him awhile to find who he was looking for at this costume party, but eventually he saw her coming down the stairs and into the ballroom. Bruce felt his breath hitch. She always looked beautiful, but Selina was looking especially beautiful tonight.

And he couldn't help but feel relieved when he saw she wasn't wearing a mask, either.

They stood on the dancefloor, face to face, exchanging apologies for the previous night, before making plans to get away; to take off their costumes and throw away the masks. Apparently they were both tired of it for various reasons.

Then, he asked one question.

"Why did you come here tonight?"

Selina smiled.

"You first," she responded.

"To see you," Bruce told her.

Her smile faltered slightly.

"That's lovely," she said. "And I wish I could say the same, but I came for Max."

Bruce was confused at first, but then he chuckled to himself at the idea.

"What – you mean, you and Max-?"

Selina burst out into hysterical laughter, and Bruce let out a sigh of relief to know that it wasn't true. Honestly, Selina and _Max?_ Selina seemed to absolutely _despise_ him. It just wouldn't fit.

"No," she said firmly after her laughter died. " _This_ and Max..."

When Bruce saw the pistol in her hand, he panicked and tried to take it out of her hands, all while she tried to justify her plans to him. And she was right, in her own way, but she wasn't right about the way to deal with it.

"I know you have problems with your boss, but who do you think you are?" He demanded. To his surprise, he thought he saw tears spring out of the corner of her eyes.

"I don't… _know_ anymore, Bruce," she managed to say. Then, she laughed again. Selina unsettled him, but he still cared about her. And he decided he would help her through this.

He kissed her.


	50. mistletoe

She pulled away.

As tears fell down her cheeks, Selina leaned into Bruce and looked up towards the sparkling chandeliers…to see mistletoe hanging beneath them.

"A kiss under the mistletoe…" she murmured into his ear. Without thinking, she said, "mistletoe can be deadly if you eat it…"

To her response, he spoke.

"…and a kiss can be even deadlier…"

They both stopped for a moment, exchanging looks of mutual shock. Selina felt her blood freeze.

"…if you mean it," Bruce finished.

She knew who he was. He knew who she was. There were no more masks hiding who they were to each other. The music still played, the people were still dancing, but the atmosphere suddenly changed. And all Selina could ask herself was… _how?_

How was it that _Bruce Wayne,_ of all people, could be Batman? The man who killed her? The man who made her feel terrible just as she was starting to -?

"Oh my God," she whispered. "Does this mean we have to start fighting?"

For a minute of two, he said nothing. He clearly had no way of responding to this either.

"…Let's go outside," was all he said when he finally spoke. Selina agreed. This was not the sort of conversation one could have when in a room full of people. But just as they were about to leave the room, and talk it over, there was a loud, ear-shattering smashing noise.


	51. crashed

He watched with glee as the guests all scrambled to escape the room as he – in his old duck car – rose to the surface. They hadn't expected him to return. A pity…for them, perhaps.

But not for him.

"You didn't invite me," Penguin began, "SO I _CRASHED!"_

The guests that stayed were oddly quiet, as if they actually wanted to hear what he had to say. So he continued.

"Right now, my troops are fanning out across town, for your children!" Penguin roared. "Yes - for your first-born sons! The ones you left helpless at home, so you could get juiced on Max's Shreggnog, and dress up like jerks, and dance… _badly!"_

And he had personally come for Max's own son, Chip. But just as he was about to drag him into the duck, Max came to his son's rescue, practically begging that he take Chip instead.

If Max had any weaknesses, it was his son. He would do anything for his son.

And Max did bring up a few good points; he _did_ want Max to suffer for manipulating him.

And he _would_ suffer.


	52. caged

Max was caged.

The Penguin had had him locked up in a large cage. It reminded him of a bird cage, in a way. Max sat down, overlooking the Penguin and his gang as they planned out the most horrific thing Max had ever heard.

And he thought what the _Joker_ had planned to do was horrific.

And he knew that once this was over – when the plan had been set in motion and all the first-born sons of Gotham were murdered – that the Penguin would want to make him pay for betraying him.

Max didn't care, so long as it saved Chip from this madness. For all his faults, he loved his son. He could only hope that Chip had escaped and run somewhere far enough that the Penguin would decide he no longer mattered.

The Penguin let out an ear-splitting scream, breaking Max out of his thoughts. Apparently the children had been saved.

By Batman.

While this only served to anger the Penguin, Max couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief.


	53. liberation

He had taken the time to gather all the penguins – all of his children – before him. And while a caged and helpless Max Shreck watched, Penguin began his speech.

"My dear penguins," he began, while pacing, "we stand on a great threshold! It's okay to be scared; many of you _won't_ be coming back. Thanks to Batman, the time has come to punish _all_ of God's children! First, second, third _and_ fourth-born! Why be biased? Male _and_ female! Hell, the sexes are equal, with their erogenous zones BLOWN SKY-HIGH! _FORWAAAAAAAAAAAAAARD MARCH! THE LIBERATION OF GOTHAM HAS BEGUN!"_

The penguins began to leave, one by one swimming through the dark waters to make their way to the surface. As they left, Penguin turned to his old friend Max, fully satisfied with his horrified expression.


	54. turned

The penguins rose to the surface, ready to carry out their master's plans. Batman had taken the boat, and kept watch…with a little help from Alfred.

Soon enough, they were above ground, making their way through the streets of Gotham City, where people were supposed to be sleeping soundly.

Then, they were in Gotham Plaza. Though, as Batman soon found out, some had been left behind, trying to slow them down with their rockets.

It didn't work.

Then, they were in the town square. Just in time. Alfred was ready when he was, and he had to coordinates.

Then, just as the timer was about to go off, the penguins turned _back._


	55. freak

Several moments later, Batman felt a pair of flippers grab him around the neck, and pull him down to the ground, with an umbrella to his neck. He knew instantly who it was.

The Ice Princess was certainly right about the fish breath.

"You're just jealous because _I'm_ a genuine freak and _you_ have to wear a mask," Penguin spat.

"You might be right," Batman replied, before pushing the Penguin into the snow. The Penguin pulled himself back to his feet, and held up his umbrella menacingly.

"But what it _really_ comes down to is _who's holding the umbrella!"_

The tip of the umbrella disappeared, revealing a sharp blade. Batman, however, was seemingly unfazed. They may both be freaks, but _he_ was the freak with the upper hand.

 _He_ controlled the penguins now.

The Penguin attempted to stab the bat, and knock him over backwards. But Batman timed each of his moves carefully, even if the remote was eventually knocked out of his hands. The Penguin smirked, thinking he would be able to set his plan in motion again.

But by this point it no longer mattered.

Ahead of him stood his army of penguins, rockets ready to launch in the sky above them. And as they did so, a swarm of bats appeared, knocking him into his own lair.


	56. destruction

The destruction was seemingly endless.

The rockets fired, and trees caught on fire. Buildings began to collapse. What would remain of Arctic World would be ruins turned to ash.

Gotham City would not remember this fondly.


	57. uncaged

Max was uncaged.

The monkey had come to his rescue, and after spending awhile fiddling with the large lock, the door was open. Now there remained the matter of his escape.

Before he could try and carefully climb down (there were no stairs), Max felt something tight wrap around his ankle and drag him into the water. He closed his eyes. He had always hated water on his eyes. But when he could finally open his eyes, he saw the corpse of one of the Penguin's clowns, and beside it, a gun.

Chances were he might need to use that.

Max grabbed the gun, and stuffed it into his pocket, all before he was dragged to the surface.


	58. blood

He was frightened. Frightened of _her._

For some reason, that made her feel _amazing._

"I don't know what you want, but I _know_ I can get it with a minimum of fuss," he began, slowly backing away. Catwoman resisted the urge to laugh at that. Minimum of fuss? Oh, just _wait_ until he heard what it was she wanted.

"Money…"

 _SNAP._ Her whip cracked against the floor, and she continued to circle him.

"Jewels…"

 _SNAP._ Was he really that pathetic? Did he really think _she_ was that pathetic?

"A _very_ big ball of string…" he was practically begging her now. And she wouldn't give in. Her whip wrapped around his neck and she grabbed him from behind.

"Your blood, Max," she purred.

"My blood?" Max sounded confused. "I gave…at the office…"

"A half-pint," she bit out in disgust. " _I'm_ talking gallons."

"Let's make a deal…other than my blood…what can I do for you?"

"Sorry, Max," Catwoman said. "A die for a die."


	59. same

At the sight of Batman flying in, they both looked up. Max Shreck looked towards him, almost pleading, before begging him to rescue him.

The only thing Batman did was push him away.

"Shut up," Batman snarled, "you're going to jail."

He had plans to rescue Shreck in the end. He didn't kill. But he was not about to let Shreck go unpunished, either.

"Don't be _naïve!"_ Catwoman spat. "The law doesn't apply to people like him _or_ us!"

 _SNAP._ The whip cracked against the floor. She looked at him, and all he saw was someone who had been tortured by the world around her.

"Wrong on both counts," he said.

She confused him. What had happened to her that was so horrific that she wanted to kill Max Shreck. He couldn't help but think that this man was somehow responsible, but he still didn't completely understand.

Maybe he never would.

But he could at least _try._

"Why are you doing this?" He asked. Catwoman's whip cracked against the floor, and she held up a hand to hold him back. He decided to take a risk and move closer. "Let's just take him to the police…then we can go home… _together."_

She cracked her whip again, but he did not pull back. He wouldn't. Not now.

" _Selina."_

Something in her expression changed when he said her name, so he decided to go on.

"Don't you see? We're the _same…_ We're the _same_ … _split_ , right down the centre…"

Slowly, Catwoman lowered her hand, and then he did something he _swore_ he would never do. He ripped off his mask, throwing the rubber to the floor.


	60. fairytale

Tears began to stream down her cheeks, as she was divided on how to answer. She wanted to be with him. Badly. She wanted to fall into his arms and kiss him and stay with him forever. It would be a dream come true.

"Bruce, I would…I would love to live with you in your castle," she tried to suppress even more tears as she said those words. "Forever…just like in a fairytale…"

But she knew she couldn't. Bruce wasn't who she'd expected. He was _Batman,_ for crying out loud. That and she _knew_ this story was never supposed to receive a happy ending. He reached out for her, about ready to touch her cheek to comfort her, but she lashed out and scratched his face, causing him to recoil in horror.

"I just couldn't live with myself," she snarled. "So don't _pretend_ this is a happy ending!"


	61. gunshot

"Selina?" Max raised his eyebrows, before slowly coming to the realization. "Selina Kyle."

She furiously pulled off her mask, and turned to him. She wasn't that shy, bumbling secretary from a few weeks ago. She was someone else entirely. To the point where he barely recognized her.

"Ya fired!" Max snarled, despite the fact that he knew at this point, they were way beyond that. He turned to the newly unmasked Batman in bewilderment.

"And _Bruce Wayne?_ Why are you dressed up like _Batman?"_

Bruce didn't even get the chance to respond.

"Because he _is_ Batman, you moron," Selina ground out. Max almost let out a sigh of frustration. What was it with Gotham City and _animals?_ His hand drifted towards the pistol he had at his side, and then he pointed it towards Bruce…or Batman…or whoever he really was.

 _"Was,"_ Max corrected, before the sound of a gunshot filled the room.


	62. (still) alive

Bruce didn't seem to be effected by this at all, but Selina seemed a little the worse for wear. Despite this, she still managed to continue onwards.

"You killed me," she spat in Max's direction. "The Penguin killed me. Batman killed me. That's three lives down. You got enough in there to _finish me off?!"_

He couldn't help but be fearful of the sight before him. There was no reason she should have survived that.

"One way to find out," He managed to say, holding the gun up again and letting a bullet fly. Selina bled, but she didn't die.

"Four…"

"Five…"

Selina swung her whip, and it cracked almost deafeningly against the stone floor.

"… _still alive!"_ She shouted. Without thinking, Max shot her again. Twice. He was about to shoot her again for a third time, but there was one slight problem.

There were no more bullets.

"…six…" Selina limped towards Max, her voice eerily calm, "…seven…all good girls go to heaven…"

Then, she let out a bout of mirthless laughter.

"…two lives left," she managed to say, although he heard her choke, knowing there was a tear or two behind her eyes. Still, she did not cry. "I think I'll save one till next Christmas…But in the meantime..." she held up a tazer, turning it on and watching Max's expression of sheer terror with satisfaction. "…how about a _kiss_ , Santy Claus?"


	63. electric

The kiss was _electric._

It was sudden, and despite anything Selina may have said, he still wasn't expecting it. When she kissed him, sparks literally flew. Then, she quickly disappeared. Heat coursed through his veins, and he felt his heart suddenly come to a stop.

His last thoughts were of Chip. More than ever, he wished that his son had escaped Gotham.


	64. disappearance

He looked. He looked for Selina, hoping he might be able to save her, but she was nowhere to be found. All he found was the charred remains of Max Shreck.

And he looked around the room, while the Penguin was limping and bleeding, hoping _maybe_ she was around _somewhere._

But no. She had completely disappeared.


	65. warmed

Penguin rose from the water, and limped his way towards the barrel of umbrellas, knowing that he needed one. But he pulled out the wrong umbrella.

"Shit…I picked the _cute_ one…"

He was dying. He knew that much. But he knew he could get a certain amount done before then. Like murdering Batman. Was that Batman in the distance? He didn't know. His vision was blurred. But he knew that whoever it was, he would murder them momentarily.

But not now. The heat was getting to him…

 _But after a cool drink of ice water…_

He fell.

He was born an outcast. He had died an outcast. All he wanted was to be accepted. It was a shame he couldn't have been. One might wonder how differently he might have turned out to be if things were different. If his parents hadn't dumped him in the river…

The remaining penguins – all six of them – appeared to give him a sendoff. They dragged his body into the water before them, before watching it sink down below.

One might say that if he knew, his cold-blooded heart might have warmed.


	66. kitty

At least a week later, on Christmas Eve night, the city had quieted. News of the destruction of Arctic World hit the news. Max Shreck was reported missing, and his son – Chip – had mysteriously left Gotham City. But everyone seemed to know the Penguin was dead. No one amongst Gotham civilians remembered him fondly.

But Bruce had heard _nothing_ regarding one Selina Kyle. It was as if she had no part in this at all. No one seemed to know where she went. No one seemed to care.

No one except him.

He was going to keep looking. She might have died in that explosion too, but after finding no body, he doubted it. He couldn't believe it. If there was a chance – even a slim one – that she survived, he needed to see her. Make it up to her.

He was looking now, as Alfred drove the car. And he was about ready to call it a night, when he saw a shadow out the corner of his eye.

It was her. It had to be.

"Alfred, stop the car!"

The car came to a sudden stop. Bruce opened the door, and then walked down the dark alleyway ahead. But as soon as he was there, the shadow was gone.

 _She_ was gone.

But soon, he felt something moving near his leg, and a purring noise. It was a cat. A black cat, her fur covered in snow. Bruce picked her up, and inspected her for a few seconds, before his eyes settled on the collar.

The cat's tag had Selina's address.

At that, he couldn't help but think that maybe this wasn't a coincidence. It could have been, and maybe the shadow he saw was wishful thinking on his part. But maybe Selina left this cat – Miss Kitty – here as a gift for him. To let him know she was alright.

With Miss Kitty in his arms, he made his way back to the car.


	67. good will

Despite the chilly air of outside, Miss Kitty in his arms was warm to the touch. Bruce scratched her behind the ears, and she purred, before settling in nicely in his arms and falling asleep. Alfred, who was driving, raised his eyebrows in confusion before nodding, knowing he didn't need to ask any questions.

"Well, come what may," Alfred said, before making a turn. "Merry Christmas, Mr. Wayne."

"Merry Christmas, Alfred," was Bruce's response. He lightly touched the cat again, but she still slept. "Good will toward men… _and_ women."

And tomorrow, while everyone was ready for a peaceful Christmas morning, he would keep looking.


	68. chance

Once again, the batsignal shone above the city, calling for Batman's aid. After all this, and on Christmas of all the days in the year, she couldn't imagine what problem could have arisen that would require his help.

But then again, that no longer mattered to her.

She had been given a second chance. One more life, and a second chance. She was going to start over. It hurt to leave Miss Kitty behind, but she was in good hands. She trusted Bruce would keep her safe. Now all that remained was where she was going to go. She couldn't risk anyone she knew before seeing her alive.

She looked ahead, and as she saw the familiar bat jumping around on rooftops, she retreated. She couldn't risk him seeing her.

She had been given a second chance.


End file.
